1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an underplate for use in the printing of tubular fabrics and a method for printing tubular fabrics with the use of said underplate. More particularly, it relates to an underplate for the formation of a continuous pattern in the direction of the circumference of tubular fabrics and to a method for the printing of tubular fabrics with the use of the underplate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional underplates for use in the printing of tubular fabrics are made, as shown in FIG. 10(a), of a single plate 100 of aluminum with a thickness of about 1 mm. When a tubular fabric 200 is printed by the use of this plate 100, first, the plate 100 is introduced into the fabric 200, and printing is successively carried out on the front surface 201 and the reverse surface 202 on the fabric 200 that is in close contact with the front surface and the reverse surface of this plate 100. The finished printed fabric 200 has, as shown in FIG. 10(b), a streak-shaped region about 1 mm wide that is not printed, which corresponds to the two edges 110 of the plate 100, on the fabric surface 220. The creation of this unprinted region 220 is inevitable, no matter how thin the plate 100 is made.
Thus, it is not possible to form a continuous design by screen printing around tubular fabrics such as socks or panty hose without forming a longitudinal unprinted stripe.